I'm just going to keep my post here short and sweet. Take it as you want.

I believe people overthink and overanalyze sex, sexual relationships and the sexualization of characters and stories. These things come and go in waves. It happens in comics books, it happens in movies, it happens in anime and books. It happens in every artform. i remember when people thought that all the sexual comedies of the 1980's were supposed to kill the movie industry.

This too shall pass.

For me personally, I dig sexual content. That's right. I said it.

Thats a totally valid response!
To say you enjoy the sexuality is 100% a valid, sound and accurate response.

What you are perhaps failing to account for is that this is an entirely economically facilitated situation, the current otaku culture is what pays for anime - 'we' (which is to say the western market) are piss in the wind as far as a viable source of a sustainable income is concerned. While the market for anime is certainly improving for us, it is still very much a niche, and whatever we contribute right now, is pocket change in all but the very best circumstances.

The thing is, for the most part, and contrary to your assert, sexual fan-service is often piecemeal at best, with the number of ongoing series advocating that model being exceptionally small in number. Indeed, the only examples I can think of right now at least, are To-Love-Ru and High School DxD - both of which persistently make their money back enough for studios to make a new season. However, as I said, they are but two and the majority of these series are little more than an ad for a light novel, manga, or videogame/mobilegame. And in the cases of those three motivators, the anime is window-dressing, it's essentially (albeit expensive) throwaway material to garner interest - and in most cases, this is evident in the series length, and overall production quality.

Despite that, you are not wrong (by any means) in saying that it can and possibly does have a detrimental effect on the 'culture' - sadly, however, this is in part wherein I must disagree strongly. As I said you are not wrong, the detrimental effect is there, however, to link this to sexuality alone is ignorant (or at least shortsighted). Fanservice, as a term has been ill-fatedly and irrevocably it seems tied to the inclusion of sexual themes - yet it features in a myriad of forms everywhere, and in anime, it is at least noticed. You mention that certain sexual tropes are used as plot devices, however, the very same is true of action. It is, while appealing to the eyes and ears, empty spectacle that shows off exactly what its audience wants.

Gundam series have done this for the better part of 20 years to my knowledge, with the main character not just being a survivor, but essentially being a superhero. Of course, the Gundam series often addresses meaningful aspects of sociology, psychology, politics, and philosophy in war - I can at least give it credit for that. However, as a contrast, could not the same argument you make in addressing sexuality be applied to 'horror' series such as Terra-Formars? A series in which the gore aspects are depicted in similarly gratuitous fashion as sexual material are in anything ecchi or outright sexual. Indeed, upon watching Terra-Formars first few episodes uncensored, I couldn't help but draw account of how the explicitly bloody and violent scenes were depicted in much the same way as pantie-shots and breasts (bare or otherwise).

While I am in no way opposed to any of these things, I do take issue with the idea that the presence of sexuality is anymore 'damaging' than anything else. A good number of series have aired this year wherein the use of sexuality has been contextualized, and the series themselves have had altogether different focuses. Some of them 'Junketsu no Maria' for example has a succubus in its cast, and she makes explicit references to a multitude of sexual acts, however, it is contextualized and is not a major focus. It isn't even there to draw attention, it's just a part of what's going on. In Spring's lineup we had Ghost in the Shell: Arise, and it treated sexuality and nudity in much the same way - a thing that is a part of life. This general theme of some being mature in their use of sexual themes, and others explicitly pandering has been pretty much consistent this year.

Ultimately, I disagree with the idea that sexual themes, content and tropes is adversely affecting anime to the extent that it will kill it off in a few years. Due the zenith of the internet and the nature of information exchange, there is no longer 'past' there is 'now and everything to come'. By that I specifically mean people can, through analysis of the preceding decade of anime, recognize roughly the same density of quality to tripe. Indeed, how many series that aired between 2003-2005 do you remember now? Probably only the good ones. What really contributes to this idea I can only really guess; attitudes toward gender politics (feminism etc.), nostalgia - and in my opinion; as costs of production and expectations of an audience go up, low production quality and presentation, typically present in the ecchi shows becomes more apparent. Finally, I'll state that anime as a creative medium has suffered far less decay than mainstream movies, prudishness surrounding sexuality is really the only difference. A lot of massive blockbuster releases are fan-wank. Films designed by committee to draw in as many people as possible with all pretty lights and sounds, all surface and no content.

As you took the time to go into detail, I thought it prudent that I return the courtesy. As I said, I don't disagree with your core complaint, however, I think it is merely an easy target as the tip to an iceberg of a far larger problem.

I think what you said is very very important. As i discussed with another poster on this thread, the situation is a catch 22 with now way out. The ultimatums given are very shady at best. However, i would like to emphasize on what you said about there being a way bigger problem, and that my argument is merely touching the front of long line of trouble.

It'll be interesting on how this argument will change if a whole bunch of isekai stuff comes out within the next two years.

You dont have to read nor respond to my criticisms if you dont want to. I merely wanted to express my feelings about the topic in an argumentative format, and gain other peoples opinion on the matter.

Every individual can have different opinions on matters... im not sure if you actually read mine, but its possible that i believe something slightly different than the pre-conceived notions you have about this subject.

Edit: Im not trying to evoke argument, this is merely a topic of interest. Im not bait clicking or anything like that, im genuinely curious.